AMC announced today that the network is in the initial stages of developing a companion series to its original drama series "The Walking Dead," which premiered on AMC in October of 2010. "The Walking Dead" is currently the #1 show on television among adults 18-49. Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are on board as executive producers, with AMC Studios set to produce. The companion series has a target on-air date of 2015.

"Building on the success of the most popular show on television for adults 18-49 is literally a no-brainer," said Charlie Collier, AMC’s president and general manager. "We look forward to working with Robert, Gale and Dave again as we develop an entirely new story and cast of characters. It’s a big world and we can’t wait to give fans another unforgettable view of the zombie apocalypse."

"After 10 years of writing the comic book series and being so close to the debut of our fourth, and in my opinion, best season of the TV series, I couldn't be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of 'The Walking Dead' universe," said Kirkman. "The opportunity to make a show that isn't tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing."

Season four of "The Walking Dead" returns to AMC on October 13. "The Walking Dead" is based on the comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman and published by Skybound, Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics.

Not sure how I feel about this.On the one hand, more zombie goodness.On the other hand, without a comic to base it on, I don't know if I'll be as attached to the characters.Would like to see more of the world, though. Maybe West Coast?Where would you guys want to see?

_________________Leave it up to a billionaire to buy the world some time --- Tony Stark

AMC announced in September that the network was in the initial stages of developing a companion series to "The Walking Dead."

Now, TVLine is hearing that the new series "will be a prequel of sorts, one that would chronicle the early days of the epidemic and the effort to contain it.".

Creator Robert Kirkman previously told IGN that the new series would be set in a different location and would feature completely different people. "It definitely won’t be set in Georgia… It’s important to us that this show exists on its own. The spin-off has to be a show worthy of existing, or else we've all sold out."

Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are on board as executive producers, with AMC Studios set to produce. The companion series has a target on-air date of 2015. "The Walking Dead" is based on the comic book series created and written by Kirkman and published by Skybound, Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics.

Originally announced in September of 2013, "The Walking Dead" spin-off series has been dormant for some time with the only following news being the rumor that it could be a prequel. Now in an interview with Vulture, two of AMC's executives spoke about the series, which they say is still in early development.

"That show is not as far along (as Breaking Bad spin-off 'Better Call Saul')," programming head Joel Stillerman said. "Robert has some things on his plate. He continues to write every issue of the comic and hasn't finished season four of The Walking Dead, which he is very intimately involved with and will continue to be. That's really in the incubation stages. The one thing that I'll share is just an anecdote that Robert shared with us. He has such a specific vision that he laid out really clearly in the first issue of the comic book. And I encourage anybody who's interested in the show to go read the note that he wrote in the first issue of the comic. His motivation for telling that story was so clear and so powerful, and it served as such a great north star for the show. We kicked around a few ideas, but primarily what he's working on is, what is the idea that gives [him] as clear a mandate to make another version of this show as [he] had for the first one? What is going on [now] is a more philosophical discussion over why there should be another version of the show. Once we answer that, we'll zero in on the specific creative."

"What we want to do is not diminish the mothership," network chief Charlie Collier added. "What we want to do is find something that everyone involved feels as passionately about as being a unique vehicle and unique enterprise as compared to the original series. We'll take our time, and we'll do it right."

Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert are on board as executive producers, with AMC Studios set to produce. The companion series has a target on-air date of 2015. What do you hope to see in the spin-off series?

How about they just don't make it. Very few spin-offs turn into something good.

The Simpsons, Angel, Star Treks: TNG and DS9, and Justice League Unlimited would disagree with you. And for some reason some people REALLY seem to be fond of Torchwood although I don't get that obsession myself.

Or at least as good as the original they came from. Angel was inferior to Buffy, for example.

And I'm not certain that I would consider the Simpsons a spin off. And JLU was the natural follow up of JL (kinda like the Superfriends revamped almost every year). Next Generation was a follow up. DS9 was a spin off, I'll give you that.

Plus, I have a single word that negates any good that comes from spin offs:

JOEY.

_________________Leave it up to a billionaire to buy the world some time --- Tony Stark

I think another Walking Dead series would work, but they need to make it completely separate from the original show. At the moment we've got 2 dramas about outbreaks coming/on TV - Helix and soon The Last Ship, so they don't need to do an origins show. There's the rest of the world out there that's infected, they could just focus on a whole different group of survivors.

Or at least as good as the original they came from. Angel was inferior to Buffy, for example.

Not really. Angel had a FAR better last season than Buffy did. I'd say because of Buffy's last two inferior seasons they were pretty much equal quality wise.

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And I'm not certain that I would consider the Simpsons a spin off.

The Simpsons is the best and most famous spin-off of all time. Just because it negates your entire argument doesn't mean it's not a spin-off. For the record, as great as The Tracey Ullman show was, (where's my DVD release, Fox?) no-one can argue with a straight face that it was better than The Simpsons.

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And JLU was the natural follow up of JL (kinda like the Superfriends revamped almost every year).

Actually I was referring to the fact that it was a spin-off of Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series with some Batman Beyond and Static Shock references thrown in. It was definitely a spin-off.

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Next Generation was a follow up.

Same universe, new cast. Spin-off.

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Plus, I have a single word that negates any good that comes from spin offs:

JOEY.

But.. but... Joey was a FOLLOW-UP to Friends, and not an actual spin-off. Right? RIGHT?!

Edit: Another thing I should mention about JLU, The Simpsons, and TNG/DS9: all four of those shows wound up being better than their source material. The fact that you don't even THINK of The Simpsons or JLU as spin-offs anymore just shows how a successful spin-off can make its own mark on television independent of the mother show.

Oh there are plenty of bad spin-offs. But if you try to tell me NCIS isn't good you and I will have words fella.

JAG and NCIS ain't really my thing, but as a Quantum Leaper I know better than to cross fans of Donald P. Bellasario. Even though I don't watch the JAG/NCIS-verse there is no question in my mind that it is top quality with him in charge. Bank on it.